NEW HORIZONS MAGAZINE FROM UPPSALA UNIVERSITY • ISSUE 1. 2015 Theme: DIVERSITY GENETIC VARIATION IS A NECESSITY page 12 IN THIS ISSUE: THE MAP OF THE BODY´S PROTEINS page 14 VISION: ENERGY FOR EVERYONE page 20 HANDWRITING BECOMES SEARCHABLE page 32 1 NEW Issue 1. 2015 HORIZONS IN THIS ISSUE: 4 Who is your neighbour? 8 Broadening the image of Islam 9 The advantages of multilingualism 10 Healthcare on (un)equal terms? 11 Growing interest in geotourism Protecting diversity 12 Genetic variation is a necessity IN THIS ISSUE OF NEW HORIZONS, we examine diversity from 14 Report: The map of the body´s proteins a variety of perspectives. The issue of diversity is always current, not least at a university like ours. 20 Researcher profile:Mats Leijon As a broad-based research university with nine faculties, Uppsala University contains a diverse range of disciplines. And it is in the 24 The battle for the bedroom interface between different perspectives that new knowledge aris- 25 Joint search for new antibiotics es. Arguments are tested and refined during critical discussion and open debate. 26 Wind in the sails of sustainable development In ‘Goals and Strategies for Uppsala University’, which was re- cently adopted by the University Board, the foreword states that 28 The pregnancy test that changed everything ‘The clearer we are in our core values—integrity and critical think- 30 Closer collaboration with company ing, openness and diversity, democracy and justice—the more we also dare challenge ourselves and set bold and ambitious goals.’ 32 A Google for handwriting Our goals and strategies also include the fact that our operations should be characterised by an ethical approach and equal terms and 34 The history of Russia becomes clearer conditions. ‘Basic principles of gender equality and the equal value 35 The secret behind shoes of all people are applied so that staff and students are supported and encouraged to develop their capability to the full.’ 36 Alumnus profile:Archbishop Antje Jackelén Regarding equality between women and men, we have made progress within education and research education, but have a little 38 A fascination with Mayan culture way to go in terms of teaching appointments, particularly at pro- fessor level. But the trend is moving in the right direction. We will probably reach our ambitious goal for the period 2012-2015 of at least 36% of newly appointed professors being women. We will be New Horizons is Uppsala University’s magazine about research and education. completely satisfied when the gender distribution is entirely even. It is issued twice a year in English, and in Swedish as Nya horisonter. The magazine Equality is not merely a question of justice, it is also to a large extent can be ordered free of charge or downloaded as a PDF from: a quality issue. www.uu.se/new-horizons Diversity and equal terms and conditions are also important Address: Communication and External Relations Uppsala University values within education, where we welcome students from differ- P.O. Box 256, SE-751 05 Uppsala, SWEDEN ent backgrounds. It is interesting to notice that our Education and Editor: Annica Hulth, [email protected] Research Minister Helene Hellmark Knutsson often talks of broad- Editorial board: Magnus Alsne, Anders Berndt, Anneli Björkman, Reihaneh Dehghani, ened recruitment. I welcome the concept being placed on the agen- Sara Gredemark, Linda Koffmar, Anna Malmberg. da again, after having been conspicuously absent for some time. Executive editor: Urban Lindberg It is important for a university like ours to be open and welcom- Layout: Södra tornet ing. By being conscious that there are other perspectives and that Printing: Danagård Litho English translation: Translated we look at the world with different eyes, we can appreciate that what we take for granted can be strange to someone else. n Eva Åkesson, Vice-Chancellor By choosing this paper we have reduced our climate impact by more than 35 per cent. The paper is produced in Sweden, and the amount of water used in its production is uniquely low. The raw materials come from ‘FSC forests’. 2 NEW HORIZONS: Issue 1.2015 Who is your neighbour? 4 The body’s building blocks. 14 Segregation increases in cities. Finished after 12 years’ work How does it affect our lives? —the map of the body’s proteins. Mats Leijon. 20 Reading script. 32 All at sea. 26 Variation is everywhere DIVERSITY CAN BE SO MUCH, as you will see when you read on. For example, what is the case regarding diversity in urban areas when segregation is increasing in Stockholm and other large cities? New research shows that where you live has a major impact on your life as a whole. We also examine linguistic diversity. Pupils who speak several languages are successful at school—and not simply in languages. Regarding religion, there are many people who are happy that it is now possible to study Islamic theology and philosophy at Uppsala University. But how does diversity work in the natural world? Researchers are telling us that we are facing a mass extinction, as the Earth is losing biological diversity at an ever increasing rate. And it’s clearly the result of human action. As usual in New Horizons, we also examine the latest research breakthroughs—for ex- ample the Protein Atlas which is now complete after 12 years’ hard work. The Atlas de- scribes where in the body the approximately 10,000 proteins are found and what functions they have. Yet another example of diversity. n Annica Hulth, editor [email protected] 3 THEME: DIVERSITY Rich and poor are living in a more isolated way than before, and in different housing areas. 4 NEW HORIZONS: Issue 1.2015 WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOUR – and what difference does it make? TEXT: ANNICA HULTH ILLUSTRATION: TORBJÖRN GOZZI Who do you A NEW STUDY of geographical changes between Norra Djurgårdsstaden for strong socio- economic 1995 and 2010 shows that segregation is increasing groups means that segregation is reinforced, as meet in the in Stockholm. Researchers have compared demo- differences between housing areas persist. graphic and socio-economic conditions. They have ‘With its current orientation, planning is not a corner shop or also used nearest neighbour data, for example an solution to segregation but instead an additional individual’s 5 closest neighbours, or 10, or 100. problem’, says Jon Loit. at the bus stop? The calculations have been carried out by a computer program developed by John Östh, re- HIS RESEARCH FORMS part of the ‘Dilemmas Whose kitchen searcher in cultural geography at Uppsala Univer- of diversity’ research programme at the Institute sity, and show that segregation is increasing. for Housing and Urban Research (IBF) in Uppsa- window is ‘The most notable aspect is the major increase la. Research manager and cultural geography pro- opposite yours? in economic segregation, with poor people being fessor Roger Andersson explains that although more isolated today than previously and with the research is focused on Sweden it has aroused While diversity large numbers of those close to a poor person major international interest. also being poor themselves. Even more isolated ‘The basic questions are extremely relevant now is increasing is the rich group, who are living more separate that both immigration and racism are on the in- lives than previously and who to an ever greater crease. Almost all of Europe is facing a future with in cities, some extent live their everyday lives encountering poor a rapidly increasing older population, while the individuals rarely or not at all’, say the researchers. birth rate is falling. One thing that could provide a groups are solution to the problem is immigration from non- AT THE SAME time a new thesis shows that town European countries. At the same time resistance to becoming ever planning in Stockholm reinforces this trend. ‘Town immigration is increasing. It’s a structural dilemma more isolated. planning is market oriented and its objective is to shared by many countries’, says Roger Andersson. encourage growth, with social objectives taking a The question of segregation is complex, be- back seat’, says cultural geographer Jon Loit. cause different values come into conflict. For ex- He has investigated the planning of two entire- ample, we all have a basic right to decide where ly different housing areas: the change programme we want to live. At the same time, society has its for the tower blocks around the Järvafältet area own views and wants less segregation. within the framework of the Järvalyftet pro- ‘There is a tendency for many native Swedes to gramme, and the new town development area of demonstrate avoidance behaviour and leave areas Norra Djurgårdsstaden. with few Swedes. At the same time they are com- ‘Overall, Stockholm’s town planning can be pletely entitled to make these decisions. It’s the expected to result in an exclusionary city reserved dilemma between the free choice of the individ- for inhabitants with work and higher incomes’, ual and the sometimes undesirable collective out- observes Jon Loit. come of that same choice’, says Roger Andersson. He says that planning is leading to segrega- tion becoming entrenched and that Stockholm TWO PHENOMENA ARE behind this develop- continues to be a divided city. In particular, the ment. Partly the fact that many new Swedes, not planning and construction of a lifestyle area like least for financial reasons, are excluded from large 5 get back into work if you live in an area where The most important factor in the many other people have jobs. We know that net- choice of housing is the individual’s works are important for income development.’ financial circumstances.